As we expect a BMX to get dirty with mud, it is crucial to keep it clean. For instance, if your BMX chain gets loose, you can fix it manually. Besides, a chain tensioner comes in handy. If you follow the guidelines given in this blog post about repairs, maintenance, and replacing your parts, your BMX bike will last longer than a few hundred miles for sure.
Moreover, if you have gotten your hands on an excellent complete, you are far better off changing a few parts than replacing your whole BMX. When we discuss the time duration of a BMX, it is safe to say that a good-quality frame lasts for three-plus years.
Wheels would last a season or so. It depends on many internal and external factors. Still, the most crucial factor is your level of fear and your skill-set.
If you are comfortable on your BMX bike, are not afraid to perform stunts, ride at high speed, falling off your bike, and are a natural when it comes to riding, BMX will be far easier for you to learn. On the other hand, if you are sensitive to peer pressure and want to display your skills as soon as possible, it might get trickier than you imagined. So, first of all, you need to feel relaxed when riding BMX. I know a guy who learned Bunny Hops only by observing other bikers, while tricks like Tail Whip could become challenging for a beginner to learn.
One person can learn BMX in five minutes, while others might need five years. As previously discussed, the parameters are to be comfortable on and with your bike and just to be your awesome self! BMX bikes are a lot different from other bikes. Moreover, a beginner will most likely think BMX to be a challenge, but it is all about focus, practice, and just doing it.
Set your fears or doubts if you have any aside and just go for it. Prior experience with skateboards or kick scooters will definitely help. It is unfair to compare a Corolla with Mercedes on a price basis. Both will have different specifications and a varying approach toward the skill-set of its rider.
If you have spent a good part of your youth on a BMX, you are well equipped to move onto a custom build. As expected, the racing got more competitive, the demands on equipment became higher and more specialised, and subcultures naturally formed around street and freestyle BMX.
Freestyle BMX has professional riders and teams supported by massive sponsors competing at adrenalin-fueled events such as the X-games. Feeling spoilt for choice with what BMX to buy? We are here to clear things up, spell out the differences and arm you with the knowledge to confidently purchase the right BMX bike to suit your needs. Freestyle BMX bikes are designed to withstand the stresses that come with performing stunts on street features, dirt jumps, and skate parks.
This means that the frame materials, wheels, and components must be equally optimised for both strength and ease of maneuverability. Race BMX bikes are optimised for speed and acceleration, so are often made from lighter materials and feature different geometry to ensure they are stable, stiff and agile at speed.
Within freestyle BMX several sub-disciplines fall under the umbrella of the term 'freestyle'. Except for flatland, there is a lot of crossover within these disciplines, so choosing an all-rounder bike that is categorised as freestyle will likely be the most versatile option. Park: Park riding refers to riding in skate parks, which despite the name, are frequented by BMX riders almost as often as skaters.
Park riding also extends to BMX specific indoor parks for riders only, which are commonly referred to as 'ramps'. Street: As the name would suggest, street riders get creative with urban infrastructure such as stairs and rails to perform highly skilled tricks and turns.
Riders will always be on the lookout for right 'spots' to try new skills. Flatland: Quite a niche style, flatland occurs with no external features and all the tricks are done with the bike by the rider. Often described as 'breakdancing' on the bike, riders pivot and balance the bike with on a hard flat surface. These riders look at getting big air and linking up jumps in to perform tricks.
Race: BMX stands for 'Bicycle Motocross' so it should come as little surprise that BMX bikes themselves are best known for being piloted over jumps and ripping around berms, much like their petrol-powered cousins. BMX racing occurs on purpose built courses which are made from hard-packed, well-groomed dirt or bitumen and often feature a mixture of undulating terrain and long jumps.
Because BMX race bikes are designed with a sole purpose in mind, they are often unsuitable for use in other BMX riding disciplines. Freestyle and entry-level race BMX bikes are predominately made from a steel composition known as Chromoly chromo for short.
CroMo is alloyed steel which offers superior strength properties when compared to cheaper, 'Hi-tensile' steels typically found on lower-end and department store bikes.
Chromo steel can be 'butted', meaning it can be made to be thinner and therefore lighter in the middle of the tubing, and reinforced around the ends and joins for strength. Steel is the material of choice for these bikes as it is highly resistant to fatigue important considering all the hits these bikes take!
For BMX racing, the preference is for stiffer, lightweight frames meaning aluminium is the material of choice. If you are serious about your racing and want to get the extra edge, carbon fibre frames are growing in popularity amongst elite BMX racers as it reduces weight even further and has vibration dampening properties not found in aluminium.
For more information on bike frame materials , check out our comprehensive guide. Freestyle BMX bikes are ridden by kids, teenagers and adults alike; therefore, although the wheel size stays consistent, the frame size can change subtly to suit the riding style and height of the rider. Most freestyle BMX bikes off the shop floor will come with a 21in top tube so that riders have enough room to swing the bike underneath them if performing airborne tricks, as well as a shorter seat stay which is easier to whip around.
Flatland frames are typically the only exception to this as they tend to be lighter and have shorter tubing all round for better balance and control. On race bikes, slacker head angle and longer wheelbase put the rider further back on the bike, which allows for improved stability and handling at speed.
Race frame sizes come in a broader range to suit the rider age spread that BMX racing sees. The 'standard' size for a BMX wheel is 20in, which is much smaller than a mountain bike or road bike. Even smaller 16in or 18in wheels can be found on kids bikes, and a larger 22in or 24in wheel can be seen on some 'trail' BMX bikes used for dirt jumping.
However, it is safe to assume that 'BMX' will generally refer to a bike with 20in wheels. Racing BMX bikes fall into two categories, depending on wheel size. The first is 20in - the most common, the second is 24in or 'cruiser'. Cruiser bikes are popular amongst taller or older riders, and also offer more stability.
Because racing BMX demands lightening-quick acceleration out of starting gates, the wheels are lighter than in freestyle BMX. The standard rim width is 32mm for freestyle bikes. For those riders who expect they will put a few more hard-hits into the wheels, can opt for a wider 36mm rim.
Rims are made of aluminium and can be single, double or triple walled, the more layers of metal provide more structural support, albeit at the penalty of increased weight. The ideal standard for a majority of riders is double-wall as it is a good balance of strength and weight.
WeThePeople has put its back into promoting inch BMX with the well-equipped, right-sized Audio, which should fit riders between 5-foot-8 and 6-foot The geometry is modern, as is the sizing. This looks like a cool old bike but rides like a new one. Suitable for anything from local racing to a long beach ride. It certainly represents the zeitgeist of freestyle BMX at the moment. At twenty-three and a half pounds without brakes, which is how most riders will use it, this is very much the Ferrari of complete freestyle bikes.
Some nontrivial percentage of Monza bikes are apparently purchased for static display in upscale homes, which is not terribly surprising once you look at them. Ssquared offers an alternative: the light and thoroughly bespoke CEO frame, with unique tube shapes and heavy-duty dropouts for a long service life.
The company has a good reputation among hardcore racers and is often a personal presence at major events. Our final pick is a tour of freestyle-BMX history packed into a single bicycle. If recent history is any guide, it might also be that rarest of things: a bicycle that holds its value after you buy and ride it. Suitable for twelve-year-olds and seventy-two-year-olds, with one stipulation: You have to want to get RAD!
Bikes and Gear. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Are Wider Tires Always Faster? Choosing a Wheel and Frame Size Most racers south of middle age will want a twenty-inch wheel. How Much to Spend? Flatland frames are the most noticeably different. The frames are made to provide maximum clearance and strategic weight distribution, making them not suitable for freestyle or race riding.
These frames are made to accommodate larger wheels. Taller riders may prefer these sizes, or anyone looking to experiment with larger tire sizes in general. When shopping for a BMX bike, you may encounter these abbreviations from time to time.
Here is a quick explanation for each one. BMX frame materials vary depending on the type of bike, and its overall quality. Aluminum frames are found with many different types of BMX bikes, but are largely considered the most useful and appropriate with racing bikes.
Aluminum is lightweight, but has a lower stress rating. Perhaps the most-used frame material, steel is very common with street and freestyle bikes.
It has a higher stress rating, and can withstand the punishment doled out from hard landings and crashes. Higher-quality BMX frames are made from high-tensile steel, which helps cut down the weight. Chromoly is widely considered to be the best frame material overall. Chromoly is actually a steel alloy steel, chromium, and molybdenum that was developed as a lighter and more durable alternative to hi-tensile steel.
Chromoly is the best choice for high-impact riding, as it possesses extreme durability while also ensuring a lower weight. Many BMX frames these days are a mixture of chromoly and steel, helping keep the price manageable for most. A BMX fork connects to the front of the frame, and to the handlebars and stem. The fork directly influences how the bike handles, how it handles certain tricks, and the general feel overall.
Forks are made the same way frames are, and offer the same material choices. If you are choosing a fork for your bike, you will not only get to select the material, but also if it has brake mounts or not. As we covered earlier, not every BMX bike needs front brakes. Flatland and street BMX bikes are the types that most often need a front brake in addition to a standard rear brake, so keep that in mind.
The drivetrain is comprised of the entire pedaling system responsible for powering the bike. The crankset is the tubes that connect the pedals to the sprocket. They are available in different lengths, and different materials and builds as well. A bottom bracket connects the crankset to the bike and allows the crankset to rotate freely. The bottom bracket contains a spindle which the crankset attaches to.
Bearings allow the spindle and cranks to rotate. The sprocket and pedals attach to the crank shaft. The sprocket, sometimes called a chainring, is what holds the chain where the pedals and crankset are located. It can come in as many as 36 teeth, or 23 teeth, depending on the set up and gearing. The enclosed metal links that run along the sprocket and rear cassette to power the drivetrain and turn the rear tire. Different chain types will result in different gearing set ups.
The rear hub is the other contact point for the chain, combined with the rear cassette. It is responsible for turning the rear wheel.
They are available in numerous configurations in terms of weight, spokes, and rim size. BMX rims are offered in two types: single-wall or double-wal l. The double-wall rim is the stronger choice, as the extra material dds strength. Aluminum is the most common material for rims. Spokes are responsible for reinforcing the wheels and rims, while providing stability as well.
Most freestyle and jumping bikes still opt for the Certain freestyle wheels now utilize thicker spoke set ups that kind of resemble aero bike wheels for road bikes. This makes them lighter, while still offering enough strength to withstand hard landings. Tires will vary depending on the riding style and type. Dirt jumping tires have the most tread, while racing bikes have a moderate amount of tread for added grip without sacrificing speed.
Street and freestyle bikes have a very minimal amount of tread , and are a bit thicker as well for added shock absorption from landings. Fat tires are now making their way into the sport as well, but as still rare at this point.
Handlebars connect to the headset, which then connects to the fork. They are responsible for steering and handling, and come in either 2-piece or 4-piece construction. Height and angles are largely a matter of preference for the rider, along with what type of riding they will be doing. Used for stopping, and operated with hand levers. U-brakes lack the definitive stopping power of linear brakes, but provide more control and leeway.
Most BMX bikes will at least have a rear brake, with a few having front brakes as well, especially flatland bikes. Seats are largely ignored on BMX bikes, with most manufacturers focusing on saving weight rather than providing comfort. BMX bikes almost always have one single gear, making the actual configuration of the utmost importance in terms of the riding type, and what the rider wants.
With a taller gear, a larger ratio exists between the teeth count of the sprocket and the rear cog. Short gearing is the opposite. Short gearing is easier to pedal, with more cranks needed to get up to speed. Flatland riders will prefer a short gearing, while other styles may vary. Racers generally prefer taller gearing.
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